Why GE Labeling is Important for Washington’s Apple Industry

The sale and labeling of GE and GMO products have been the central issue in the food production market. The question has reached multiple debates and discussions over the future of our food.
Critics claim that the absence of labeling changes the regular diet of an average American, not allowing him/her to make an informed choice. People have been eating GE products for years, not being able to control the percentage of GE fish and vegetables in their food ration. GE organisms have been a big part of their diet for years (corn, soy, apples, salmon, etc.).

The grocery manufacturers inform that more than 70% of all processed food in America is genetically modified. And most of it is not labeled. The numbers are impressive.
But don’t think that the absence of labels influences only customers. What about farmers and manufacturers who produce organic, GE free food? Do they suffer too? And will the GE products oust all other products from the market?

GE Labeling and Washington’s Apple Industry

Activists and critics want a GE industry to be more transparent. This will positively influence not only simple customers and manufacturers but also corporations, which produce GE food. Why? People believe only those manufacturers who play fair. Showing that a certain product is a GE product will give customers the freedom to choose.

But the manufacturers of organic, GE free products deserve special attention in this case. For example, Washington’s apple industry is the most powerful in the country. Washington has been known for years as a leader of apple producing. The export of apples influences the whole economic situation in the region. Washington apples are exported to Canada, Mexico, and Asia. Thousands of people dedicate themselves to this industry every day. It is thousands of stable jobs and salaries. Imagine that all of this can disappear just because of the absence of labels. The biggest American partners like China, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, India, and other countries require GE labeling from manufacturers.

The problem is that the GE manufacturers don’t want to have a constructive dialogue with the customers. Placing labels on GE products and explaining the main information about GE generally can have a positive result for three different categories: shoppers, GE free manufacturers (and the whole industry), and GE manufacturers. The balance is key to everything. People want to know what they are serving on their tables. They want to make an informed choice and to have a balanced diet rather than a 90% GE ration.

For Washington, particularly, it is very important to start labeling GE fish and apples to save the whole industry, which is one of the biggest parts of the region’s economy. But the debates are still going on.